"This is a potential Super Bowl matchup. We've got to go out there like we have been practicing our system and execute our game plan as best as possible.''

Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips said Reed looked full speed in practice this week after making his 2013 debut on a limited basis in Sunday's 30-9 loss to Reed's former team, the Baltimore Ravens. In his first action since undergoing March surgery to repair a torn hip labrum after signing a three-year, $15-million deal to bring more mental toughness and leadership to the Texans, Reed was a non factor against the Ravens.

"He did fine for the first time out, but we want to see the Ed Reed that we think he is and I think he wants to do that, too,'' Phillips says. "I think the more he plays, the better he'll look.''

A second-ranked Texans defense with just one turnover through three games will need Reed, who has 61 career interceptions, at his ball-hawking best against an explosive, fourth-ranked Seahawks offense that averages 28.6 points per game.

"Ed's a tremendous leader,'' Cushing says. "We watch film especially together on Thursdays in our dime package with linebackers and defensive backs.

"He's definitely not afraid to speak up especially if he thinks there's a certain defense we should run. He'll put his input into it and it's something you have to listen to coming from him.''

Besides Reed, one other Texan ready to go full speed is running back Arian Foster, who led the league in touches last season and didn't play in the preseason due to injuries.

Foster, who leads the Texans with 190 yards and one touchdown on 49 carries, has been sharing the workload with backup Ben Tate, who is averaging 8.8 yards per carry with 184 yards on 27 carries.

"My body feels good. I'm ready to go whenever they want to let me go,'' Foster says. "I've just got to be patient and trust Coach (Gary Kubiak). When you're going against a defense like this, you've just got to be physical. They like to establish their physicality on teams. They like to intimidate people with their physical nature. I think this is going to be one of those dog fights where we've got to let them know we're in here, too.''

Kubiak said the best way to help his defense stop running back Marshawn Lynnch and dual-threat quarterback Russell Wilson is by hammering the run.

"It's going to be very important that we run the ball well in the game,'' Kubiak says. "Two teams, in a lot of ways, built a lot the same. And we've got to focus on ours and handle our business.''